Homelessness targets ‘face barrier’

The UK double-dip recession and changes to the benefits system could act as a “barrier” to the Scottish Government’s homelessness targets, according to MSPs.

Maureen Watt, convenor of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee, has told Holyrood about the findings of the committee’s second report into the Government’s commitment to find a home for every unintentionally homeless household by 2012.

She said: “Whilst progress towards meeting the 2012 commitment has been positive, the committee did hear about potential barriers to progressing the homelessness agenda. One key issue is the affordable housing supply. However, whilst the committee will continue to monitor and assess the Scottish Government’s progress towards meeting its affordable housing targets, it made several recommendations relating to how supply can be improved across the tenure types.”

She added: “Another potential barrier is, of course, the likely negative impact of the provisions of the UK Government’s Welfare Reform Bill. The main point of concern for the majority of the committee was the impact of the specific provisions related to underoccupancy, which could affect local authority applications and policies. A general reduction in benefits could lead to increased arrears and evictions.

“A change to provide universal credit which will include a housing benefit component to claimants monthly in arrears could cause problems for those who have difficulty in budgeting.”

Ms Watt noted that Conservative committee member Alex Johnstone dissented from these concerns. His party is spearheading the welfare reforms in government at Westminster.

Housing minister Keith Brown said: “It is a very challenging target in difficult economic times but we are, despite that, committed to supporting local authorities to achieve it.”

He added: “The period April to September 2011 recorded around a 20% reduction in homelessness applications and assessments. That’s the biggest-ever fall. It has been quoted that the corresponding figure in England, for example, is around a 14% increase, so I think we can recognise the efforts of our partners, particularly in local government, in making progress towards this target.”

He continued: “We’re doing this in the midst, apparently, of a second recession which makes it extremely difficult. We have the welfare reforms that are going to have a major impact, a major risk effect, on provision, whether it’s the underoccupancy provisions or the way in which we can actually configure new housing stock.”

Mr Brown announced extra Scottish Government funding to prevent homelessness. Housing Options Hubs will receive £150,000 for councils to refocus services to look at individuals’ wider housing options.